It’s not that Force India has been bad the last several races – Nico Hulkenberg’s points-scoring run in every Grand Prix through Silverstone continued and Sergio Perez has had his moments, as well – but the early-season pace the team showed has dipped slightly the last few events.

At Hockenheim, however, the team is bullish on its prospects. The car handles a bit better on the supersoft and soft tires, and Hulkenberg said that should play to the team’s advantage at this weekend’s German Grand Prix.

“Even on tracks where we have been struggling slightly, we have managed to score points – for example, in Silverstone the car balance was not ideal, but we still came away with four points,” Hulkenberg said in the team’s advance release. “I’m feeling more positive about our performance in Germany, especially with the return of the soft and supersoft tires.”

Added Perez, “Hockenheim should suit our car and we should be in a much stronger position. It looks like a track where we can perform well. With the softer tyres and warm temperatures it’s going to be an interesting race.”

Team principal Vijay Mallya said this is a pivotal race for Force India in terms of the Constructor’s Championship. Williams’ 45 points in the last two races have taken it past the fellow Mercedes-powered squad for fourth in the Constructor’s Championship.

Force India is now fifth on 91, and just one point ahead of McLaren on 90. Ferrari on 106 and Williams on 103 are over the century mark in the battle for third.

“Hockenheim is a medium-speed circuit and we have done well on these sorts of tracks this year. It’s also Nico’s home race so I am sure he will have some extra motivation to do well,” Mallya said. “We have scored points in every race, but we need to score with both cars if we want to maintain our position in the championship. It’s expected to be one of the hotter races of the year and that usually works in our favor.”

Hulkenberg finished ninth for Force India at Hockenheim two years ago from fifth on the grid, while Perez took his Sauber from 12th on the grid up to sixth.

I know, I know unrelated to the article here but why does this site devote three stories to DTM back marker Susie Stoddart running 4 laps when one article on her being the fist woman in over 20 years to participate would suffice, and yet no stories on the looming ban on FRIC suspensions for this weekend onward. Potentially race order changing and not a mention at all.